Hedghogs to Humans
by Chosen One Rise
Summary: Sonic is wondering what's up with Eggman, and why he hasnt tried to do anything to them. so, he decides a trip to ARK! they find a machine and...! look at the title! but Knux knows that somethings up, and Eggman isnt the only one behind this! Chappy 5!
1. Sonic's Idea

Okay, I'm not going to be working on two stories for a little bit, so I can work on this. I promise to make it different from Shabooshiboo's story. I, too, had this idea. I'm not copying. Promise. And, another thing. The name "Tobitha Fair" is the name of the woman who was the vocal talent in all of Rouges level songs in SA2/SA2:B. I just HAD to use her name! (not her voice, just the singing) -Chosen One  
  
A confused Sonic the Hedgehog sat at his kitchen table thinking. He hadn't heard from Eggman for a long time, which probably meant he was working on something big and dangerous. Eggman usually kept trying and trying after a defeat to over come the hedgehog. It had been a year now, an exact year since ARK. Sonic started to wonder what he was doing. Maybe this time around he could stop it before anything happened.  
Later, Sonic took a walk in town. Lately he had been on Angel Island. Everyone was staying there to get away from annoying fans. Amy, although, had only come to be with her Sonniku. Sonic sighed. The never ending embarrassment of Amy Rose. Sonic looked in the market window. Tails was inside buying candy and soda. He was probably going to stay up late tonight. He always bought sugar and caffeine when he needed the energy. Tails walked out.  
"Hi, Sonic!" The fox said happily.  
"Hey, Tails. What's happening?"  
"Nothing much." Tails walked beside his idle. Sonic had an idea and stopped walking.  
"Tails, round everyone up, and,"  
"Even Amy?"  
"Even Amy. I have an idea." And with that, Sonic ran off at the speed of sound.  
"But, Sonic," Tails said to himself. He started eating his candy, knowing that everyone would want some. If he didn't have enough, then no one would beg.  
  
At the Shrine of the Master Emerald.  
  
Knuckles lay on the ground beside the Master Emerald. He was bored stiff, and felt as if he had been lying there for ages. He hated the fact that the emerald never was taken when he was there, but when he had to do something important, it was gone. Because of this, he always felt he was being watched. Knuckles closed his eyes.  
"Hi, partner." A voice from above him said. He opened one eye. Rouge the Bat was kneeling on top of the Master Emerald looking down on him.  
"Partner?" He repeated, sitting up. Rouge got off the Master Emerald.  
"Yeah. I just thought of it. You wanna be partners?"  
"No. I've told you a million times in the past year, I don't want anything to do with you, Rouge." He got up, shaking the tiredness away. He hadn't slept last night.  
"Well," She said, putting her hands on her hips. "You gave me a chance before, why won't you give me one now?" She asked, concerned.  
"Rouge, even though we had a relationship after ARK, doesn't mean anything. I just don't think it's a good idea."  
"But why?"  
"BECAUSE! I just don't, alright? Now leave me alone." He said impatiently. That's when Tails came running up the stairs of the shrine, fortunately saving Knuckles from getting talked into something he didn't want to do. Although, Tails did trip a few times.  
"Knuckles! Rouge!" Tails huffed when he reached them.  
"Yeah?" They said at the same time. Rouge gave Knuckles a side smile, and Knuckles rolled his eyes.  
"Sonic has an idea and wants to see everyone at his house."  
"What kind of idea?" Knuckles asked.  
"I don't know, he didn't even tell me!" Tails said, catching his breath and making his way down the stairs. Knuckles followed and so did Rouge.  
"I wonder what he wants now." Rouge whispered to Knuckles.  
"What do you mean, 'now'?" Knuckles said without whispering. Rouge started acting as if they were partners solving a mystery. "I mean, every time I want to be with you, he needs you for something. Now it's both of us. As if he knows," "I know. Isn't his timing great?" Knuckles interrupted with a smirk. He elbowed her with a laugh. "Hey!" She said seriously. Knuckles' smile soon turned into a frown. "I was just having fun." He said under his breath. That's what he didn't like about Rouge. When he was goofing around, she was in the most serious mood. Everything was either sarcastic or serious. Even though sometimes that was his own summary, he liked to have a laugh once in a while. He exhaled and rolled his eyes. Tails turned to Knuckles after walking half the way. "Hey, Knux, could you make my job easier and," Knuckles cut the fox off. "No, I won't get Amy." "Oh--." Tails looked like he had to walk across North America and back. "Rouge, could you?" "Alright. But this is the only time I'm helping you, fox boy." She said. Tails looked all the more happier after Rouge started walking the other way.  
  
At Amy Rose's Apartment.  
  
Amy was sitting on her bed plucking the petals off a daisy. Her room was painted the most irritating pink, and had pictures of Sonic all over the room. Even the frames were either red, pink, or white.  
"He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me. He loves me not. He loves me. He loves me not. Boy, this daisy has a lot of petals. He loves me," Suddenly she was interrupted by Shadow standing in the door way of her room. "Amy, you do that every day. I can not tell you how annoying it is." Amy stopped and turned her attention toward him.  
"Hey, Mr. Ultimate-Life-Form, I'll do this as much as I like. And I would be more grateful to the person who took you off the streets and let you have the bed room that was gonna be Sonic and mine's baby's. And plus, how else am I too know?" Amy always used that against him whenever he picked on her in any way. Shadow rolled his eyes.  
"Well, anyway, do know what?"  
"What?" Amy put the flower down on her bed.  
"I was just on www.fanfiction.net and there are some stories that are pair US together. How revolting. I mean, my fans are pairing me up with the girl-pink-wonder!" He threw his arms up in disgust.  
"I think it's cute." Amy said with that look in her eyes. Shadow stood still in his tracks with his mouth and eyes wide open, realizing what she was saying. "No, silly, I'm already in love with Sonic!" She giggled and walked past him in the door way to get something to eat. Shadow sighed with relief and decided to never bring up the subject again to Amy. That was a full-fledge scare for Shadow. "You know, I think I'll make lunch for the both of us today." Amy said happily.  
"On the other hand, I remember making plans with some of my friends for lunch, bye!" Shadow said, starting to walk away from the kitchen.  
"Oh, silly, you don't HAVE any friends." Amy giggled.  
"Yes, I DO!" Just then there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it." Shadow said drearily. And standing there was Rouge the bat. "Um--Rouge, hi. Why are you here?" He stuttered.  
"Oh, I'm just getting you and Amy for Sonic because he wants to see us."  
"Again?! Um, why don't we just stay here? You could stay for lunch." Rouge looked at Shadow in disgust.  
"Shads, you're really bad at hitting on someone, you know that? Has any girl ever told you?" She shook her head. Rouge was the only one that knew about Shadow's secret crush on her. "Shadow," She started. "It's hopeless for you. Don't even try to, to," She stopped.  
"What?" He asked. He really looked like he was asking the question, and not playing 'dumb'.  
"Well, you know." She answered. Shadow looked a little let-down and sighed. Amy came in and they left.  
  
At Sonic's house.  
  
Knuckles and Tails had gotten there before Amy, Shadow, and Rouge. When they got there, they couldn't find Sonic. The house seemed empty.  
"Helloo." Knuckles called into the empty living room. "COOL!" Knuckles saw Sonic's favorite chair not being used. It was the best one in the house, and Knuckles had been waiting for such a chance to sit in it and have a front-view of the huge TV Sonic had. Knuckles jumped into it and spread him-self all over it. He looked at Tails who was giggling. Knuckles raised an eyebrow. "I haven't said anything, why are you--GAH!"  
Sonic jumped from behind the chair in front of Knuckles. "BOO!" He yelled in his face.  
"Man, Sonic, you surprised me. And get a breath mint, dude." Knuckles said, getting out of the chair. Sonic got a check list from who knows where and read a-loud: 'Surprise Knuckles'; "Check." He said, making a check-mark next to the goal. Just then, the rest of them walked into the living room. "Hey, guys!" Sonic exclaimed.  
"Okay, okay, so what are we here for?" Rouge asked sitting on the sofa. Shadow sat as far as possible away from her, because in doing so, know one would suspect anything.  
"Okay, everyone," Sonic started. Everyone sat down, knowing this would be long. "Has anyone wondered about Eggman yet? I mean, he could be up at ARK, making some kind of machine to destroy the world again. He's just going to cause more trouble." Sonic was pacing the room, when everyone heard snoring. Rouge slapped Knuckles (who was sitting next to him) on the face and he sat up straight. Knuckles started laughing.  
"Hey, I was joking!" He said. No one laughed.  
"Right." Sonic continued. "I suggest we go up to ARK once again, and destroy what ever Eggman is working on, so we could," Sonic paused. "I don't know. Just, we can show Eggman not to mess with us. Again."  
"I'm in for it!" Tails said, standing up.  
"Let's kick some Eggman-butt!" Knuckles exclaimed, standing and making a fist. Rouge followed and said,  
"A waist of time, I think, but what the hell."  
"I guess." Shadow mumbled, still sitting. Everyone looked at him. Shadow stood up and repeated him self with more enthusiasm. "I guess!" Then everyone went to planning.  
  
A week later, when everyone was ready to go and,  
  
Amy: WAIT! We can't leave NOW!  
  
Sonic: WHY NOT?!  
  
Amy: I have to watch my flowers bloom! If I get someone else to water them, I won't see it!  
  
Shadow: To hell with your stupid flowers! Let's get the show on the road!  
  
So, because of Amy's flowers, they had to leave the week after.  
Knuckles was packing extra food and other things he thought they might need when he sensed someone behind him. He didn't bother turning around, knowing somehow that the person was gentle and not going to harm him.  
"Knuckles," A quiet voice from behind him said. He turned around.  
"Princess? What brings you here?" He said respectfully.  
"I was wondering--if-- possibly I could come along."  
"Uh," Knuckles wasn't comfortable with bringing Princess Tikal along with him. If anything happened to her, he would be blamed. His expression was odd, and he kind of looked stunned. "I don't think that's a great idea, you see," Tikal cut him off.  
"I know. I know you don't want to take me, but," She paused to let out a sigh. "I need to escape from palace life once in a while." Her voice came to a whisper. "Please, guardian. Please. Take me with you." Tikal seemed desperate, so Knuckles had no choice but to say yes. After Tikal had left, Knuckles shook his head in disbelief. What was she really running from? Tikal didn't seem like the kind to hold a grudge, so it didn't look like she was trying to take revenge on Dr. Eggman.  
"Damn." Knuckles said to him-self, realizing that he had just said yes to bring the Princess along. Since when was he so vulnerable? Knuckles finished his duties on the ship and left to tell the others.  
  
The next day, in space, left Earth two hours ago.  
  
"Finally!" Sonic said, throwing him-self on the couch in the ship. He had ordered and paid for a new space ship that was like a living quarters, just in the form of a space ship. "We get relaxation on the way there, and plus, auto-pilot!" He exclaimed. Knuckles walked around the control the room admiring the different buttons and levers. He noticed the gravity was 'on'. Knuckles heard squealing from the other room.  
"This dress is SO cute! Sonniku, I want this!" Amy's screeches were heard all over the ship. Sonic sighed and got up from his comfortable position. Knuckles followed him into the other room.  
Amy, Rouge, and Tikal were looking at a magazine. "Sonic! This dress is so nice! Get it for Amy!" Tikal exclaimed, obviously forgetting her royal manners. Sonic grabbed the magazine and looked at the picture. Knuckles looked over his shoulder. The picture was of an Echidna model, an extra tall one, Knuckles noted, wearing a flowing blue dress with loose short sleeves. Sonic glanced up at Amy then at the picture again.  
"It wouldn't look good on you, Amy." Sonic said, dropping the magazine into Knuckles hands.  
"Oh, darn. I knew that anyway. Everything looks good on that model anyway. She can wear ANYTHING." Amy said, distressed. Rouge and Tikal nodded their heads in agreement.  
"Who is she?" Knuckles said, studying the picture. The echidna was pale lavender and had dark purple eye shadow on. The sassy pose she was in made Knuckles feel sick. But, something seemed strange about her. Knuckles was average height for a male echidna [3'7], and she was about 2 or 3 feet taller than him.  
"Tobitha Fair." Tikal answered. "Very famous fashion model." [note: the real Tobitha Fair really isn't a fashion model. It's the character that is.]  
"Yeah, everything looks good on her. Everything." Amy said, a little upset that she couldn't be just as pretty. Knuckles threw the magazine a side.  
"You know Knuckles, if you like the pose she's in, I can do better." Rouge said in a taunting tone. Knuckles came close to her as if he was going to kiss her.  
"No thanks." He said, and shoved her into the sofa, and started walking to his room. Rouge glared at him. She hated it when he tricked her.  
"I take it, you and Knuckles used to be very close." Tikal commented to Rouge, who was presently pouting.  
"Close? Well, kinda. We dated for a little bit." She answered. "So, do you love anyone?"  
"I LOVE SONIC!" Amy exclaimed.  
"I wasn't talking to you!" Rouge retorted. "Tikal."  
"Uh, um, no, not exactly." Rouge grinned. Tikal continued. "I've never really been--interested in anyone." She said nervously.  
"Who?" Rouge demanded calmly. She knew Tikal was hiding something.  
"I'm really tired. I'd better go." You could tell Tikal was nervous when she walked away.  
"You got her uncomfortable, Rouge. Why did you do that?" [only Amy would ask a question like that.] Amy questioned. Rouge ignored her as she, too, walked back to her room.  
  
When they landed, in the morning [well, not exactly morning] inside ARK.  
  
"Hey. This is the room where we entered before, remember, Sonic?" Amy said, excited.  
"Yeah, yeah, but we have to be quiet. You don't know what to expect." Sonic answered. Knuckles shook his head, and kept walking forward, more into the space station. Everyone didn't know what to do, so they just followed him. Tikal was closest to Knuckles, knowing he could protect her if anything happened. He seemed not the mind her clinging to his arm. The whole time Rouge was glaring at Tikal. Amy seemed to just be gazing around happily as if in a garden full of flowers and good memories. Sonic looked suspicious. Tails was tagging along, looking for broken down machine parts to re-build. Shadow, well, Shadow was looking at the ground, probably feeling guilty for all the horrible things he had done here.  
"Hey, look, Shadow!" Amy shrieked. "It's the room where I convinced you to help out!" Sonic was trying to make her shut-up when they all saw something. It kind of looked like the transporter they used to get to Chao Land, except bigger. Way bigger. It also had a machine next to it that had buttons that probably controlled what everyone thought was a transporter.  
"Where do you think it goes?" Amy said, skipping over to it, also breaking the silence.  
"Don't touch anything!" Shadow yelled at her, running over with everyone behind him. As she turned around to face him, she flipped a switch, but no one noticed. Tikal let go of Knuckles, backing up from, what to her, seemed like an evil machine. Knuckles touched the sides of it, wondering what it was.  
"Looks like a," Tails was cut off by a blinding light coming from the middle of the 'transporter'. First, Amy, being the lightest, got sucked in.  
  
"SONIC!" Everyone could here her loud and clear, and they all covered they're ears. Sonic ran in, going to save her like he had done before in other adventures. After that was Shadow, then Knuckles, then Rouge. They had all gone in to save each other, but neither of them seemed to be going anywhere. Tikal looked at the light from far away. She was the only one that hadn't gotten in. You couldn't see anything from out side, but inside--  
  
Knuckles looked out. Everything was bright, and he could here the screams of his friends, plus the buzzing of the machine. His eyes hurt from the constant light, and he could see his Echidna Princess out side of the machine, looking as helpless as ever. He tried to yell out to her, to say everything was going to be alright, but he felt a sharp pain crawl up his spine and all through out his body. He turned to his friends. They seemed just as in pain as he. Everything was bright, and Knuckles couldn't see clear.  
"My legs feel warm and tingly!" Amy screamed.  
"Maybe 'cause you peed in your pants!" Sonic shouted back. You could tell she was embarrassed because she didn't answer. Or maybe, she COULDN'T answer.  
  
(Teehee, cliffhanger! Once I get 3 reviews, I'll get the other chapter in! Whahahaha! Tell me what ya think! -Chosen One) 


	2. HUMANS!

Here's #2! Hope you like! And, of course, when they turn into humans, kinda imagine them as Manga characters, ok? That's how I got the ideas. From a "learn to draw" type book. -Chosen One  
  
All of a sudden, Knuckles felt scared. What was happening to Amy? Usually she would say something back at him. Knuckles noticed Sonic, who was next to her. His eyes shut and he all of a sudden looked petrified. Knuckles felt more pain in his eyes. He fought the force that was trying to get his eyes closed, but it didn't help.  
  
Knuckles opened his eyes after what felt like sleep. He walked out of the light, and looked at Tikal. She seemed small. Tikal ran in fright, back to the ship.  
"Hey!" He yelled. Knuckles saw the ship fly by the window. She had taken their only route home. Knuckles looked at his fists. They weren't the huge, powerful hands he normally had. They also felt very light compared to his normal fists. "So this is what it's like to," He was cut off by Sonic.  
"Knux?" Knuckles turned around. A human. Sonic was a human, and so were the others! Knuckles looked at his reflection in the window. He was different him-self.  
"Sonic, what happened to us?" Knuckles asked. One by one everyone walked out of the light, which was now dying.  
Sonic had short black hair in the back, but in the front, his bangs were out-of-control-long and they were blue. He was wearing a blue T-shirt and zip-off pants, [you know, the ones that turn into shorts.] and blue sketchers sneakers.  
"I guess the front of my hair never changed." He suggested.  
Knuckles was obviously a red-head with spikes (gel) and some bangs in from of his face. He wore a gray 'muscle shirt' [that's was I call them] with black baggy pants. In one of the pockets in his pants, there was a pair of metal knuckles that you put on your fist. His shoes were the huge 'punk' ones.  
"Hey, at least I get these." He said, examining the knuckles.  
Amy walked out with long blond hair with pink and blue tips [died pink and blue, duh]. The hair went down to her behind, and was in pony tails on the left and right side of her head. She had bangs that neatly went of to the side of her face. She was wearing a short red skirt with white halter top with a heart in the center. Amy could pass a cheer leader. She had the same shoes as before. Amy looked at her hair.  
"Hey, Sonic, I got some of your blue in MY hair!" She said happily.  
Then, Rouge. Rouge had short hair that was blond with some lavender streaks through it. You can only guess what she was wearing. VERY short- shorts with a purple belly-shirt. No sleeves. She was the only one with gloves. They were brown leather.  
"Still lookin' hot." She said, straightening her gloves. Her shoes tapped on the floor. She had a pair of deep plum purple heels on with strings that tied up her leg. [It's a look that a kid in my school wears.]  
Tails had short, 'dirty blond' hair, with no special bang style. He was wearing a green shirt with his logo on it [the two tails. If you look closely at Cyclone then you can see them] and blue pants. His shoes were brown. Tails looked at little under-age to be hanging out with this bunch.  
"Look! My logo!" He exclaimed, admiring his shirt. Shadow walked out from the machine.  
"What?" He said. Shadow had black hair, which went in every direction. It kind of looked like 'bed-head' except as if he had done it on purpose. Red streaks went through it. His eyes were burning red. He was wearing a white shirt under a black leather jacket. His pants were worn-out jeans, and his shoes were Nike sneakers. Shadow reached into his pocket and found a gun.  
"What's this for?" He questioned, looking at it.  
"I want a gun!" Rouge complained.  
"Well, first, we have to find a way out of here, before we get any new things. I don't see why you would want anything else. We have new bodies and everything." Sonic said.  
"Except new names." Tails reminded. Knuckles saw something out of the corner of his eye run across the hall on the other side of the door. They weren't alone. And Knuckles, being who he was, made it his own one-man mission to find out what Eggman was REALLY up to. [Eggman couldn't run that fast anyway]  
"I can keep the name 'Amy', right?" Amy said, proud that she had the only name that could be kept.  
"Sure. But WE need to come up with new names." Sonic answered, thinking. Rouge was first with her name.  
"I'll be Niki." Everyone looked at her. "I mean, Niki as in Nicole."  
"I'm Tyler!" Tails said, repeating his name, obviously liking it.  
"Kevin." Knuckles said blandly.  
"Sam." Shadow said, still looking at his gun.  
"I'll be," Sonic couldn't think of a name. "I don't know. How about Derek?" Everyone nodded in agreement when Knuckles pointed out that they didn't have a ride home because of Tikal being scared and ran off with the ship. Sonic sighed and remembered seeing some other ships when they came in.  
Everyone started walking away from the room. Knuckles was trailing behind. When they were a ways down the hall, Knuckles looked back. He saw another blur, except this one was going into the room. Knuckles thought he saw a flowing dread-lock. 'Where have I seen that before?' He thought. He chose not to tell anyone about this.  
"How do we know we can all fit in one?" Amy asked.  
"Hey, if Eggman can, we can. He's fat enough!" Sonic answered. Everyone laughed except Knuckles. He was in his own world again.  
Sonic got in a space ship. "Hop in, everybody!" He exclaimed, getting the controls ready.  
"We're so much bigger than before." Shadow said trying to figure out how many feet he grew.  
"How will we all fit?" Tails asked, as if to himself.  
"Tails, you come with me and Amy. Knuckles, Shadow, and Rouge, go in the one next to this one." Sonic ordered.  
"Yes, ma'am, er-SIR!" Knuckles kidded while marching over to the other ship. Knuckles got into the control seat.  
"Hey, Knux," Shadow whispered, while jabbing Knuckles lightly in the arm. "Look around. Before there were 6 ships, not counting ours, now there are 7. How is that possible if Tikal LEFT with our ship?"  
"Umm," Knuckles said, pretending to be busy.  
"You know something, don't you?" Shadow said in an edgy tone.  
"Why would you think that I know anything, Mr. I-Want-Revenge?" Knuckles accused.  
"Hey, hey, hey! Are you saying that I have something to do with it?!"  
  
"That's what you were sayin'!" Knuckles said. Both were getting ticked off at each other for no apparent reason.  
"Hey, guys, I want to get back on Planet Earth, so can we get this vehicle going?" An impatient Rouge pestered.  
"Whatever." Shadow and Knuckles said at the same time.  
  
Back on Earth.  
  
"So what do we do now?!" Rouge demanded, looking at Angel Island as they approached it in the helicopter that Tails just 'happen to have'.  
"We can't go to the island, we'll scare every echidna there." Knuckles said, once again thinking of his island before himself. "Tails, or, Tyler, turn back NOW. We'll go to America."  
"Where's A-mare-i-ca?" Amy asked stupidly.  
"A place where you've obviously never been. Now turn around or I'll take the controls!" Knuckles threatened. Tyler (Tails), responding immediately, turned sharply, causing everyone to bump into a wall or the person next to them. Rouge purposely fell into Kevin's (Knuckles) arms. "Rou- I mean, Niki, get off." He said, but not pushing her. She stayed there in his arms for two more minutes then got off. "I think your change is an improvement." Kevin flattered.  
"Hmf." Niki shook it off, but secretly smiling.  
"SONIC!" Amy shouted, trying to get his attention, but he cut her off.  
"Amy, you have to call me Derek now."  
"But Derek is nothing like Sonic, how will I remember?"  
"I don't know; just don't call me Sonic until we're our normal selves." Sonic finished the conversation, and Amy looked down at her hands sadly and started to cry.  
"Oh, great, now we also have to BABY-SIT! What's next, switching genders?!" Shadow, I mean, Sam said impatiently.  
"Amy, what's wrong?" Derek said drearily.  
"What if we never become our normal selves?! What if I can never call you Sonic again?!"  
"You're crying about THAT?!" Sam butted in.  
"Ditz." Derek said, turning his attention toward Tyler.  
"LANDING!" Tyler shouted as they started to land. Amy looked down at where they were.  
"WATCH OUT FOR THAT BUILDING!!" She screamed.  
"THAT'S WHERE WE'RE LANDING, IDIOT!" Sam couldn't stand Amy's stupidity any more. She crossed her arms and claimed that she knew, but was just making sure.  
When everyone was out of the helicopter and Amy looked down at the city below.  
"Wow, that's pretty far down. How WILL we get down?" Amy asked anyone who was listening.  
"We're going to jump. Go ahead--jump." Kevin said with a smirk on his face. Amy turned to Derek.  
"Are we really going to jump to get down?" She asked.  
"Before I answer your question, answer mine. Would we want to kill ourselves?" He said in a smart-alick tone.  
"NO WAY!"  
Derek snapped. "That's what I was gonna say!" Derek walked over to Sam. "Sam, how are we going to get down?"  
"Tyler said that this building was a clothing department."  
"CLOTHING?! THIS WHOLE BUILDING IS FOR CLOTHING?!"  
"They also do they're modeling and designing. Some people who work here even live here."  
"Oh, good. But what does that have to do with getting down?"  
"I was answering your question."  
"Yeah, but I also asked how to get down." Derek reminded.  
"Okay--well, we could just go down stairs and take the elevator the rest of the way." Sam pointed to an open door and in the door was a stair case.  
"Oh. Okay." Derek walked over to Tyler who had just finished flying the helicopter to the other side of the building roof. "We should get everyone now."  
"Right." Tyler said, whipping the sweat off his forehead. After they collected everyone up, they made they're way down the stairs.  
"Oh-no. We're in the woman's department, aren't we?" Derek whispered. "I know she's gonna say it. I know for a fact that in 5-4-3-2-1-,"  
"SONIC! Can you buy me this dress?!" Amy shouted, obviously not caring whether anyone heard her call him Sonic.  
"NO!" Derek yelled, walking over to her. Everyone immediately scattered, looking at different fashions they liked. Sam and Kevin went to another department, and Tyler did the same.  
Kevin walked into an area where the clothes looked punk-like. "cool." He said as he looked at a pair of pants. He heard a giggle, and looked up. A beautiful girl was behind a rack of clothes. She had long blond bangs that went over her eyes. Her hair was long, and blond. There was a tiny lavender braid that went down the back. "Have I met you?" He asked, not really knowing. She only giggled and ran in the opposite direction. "Girls." He commented. Mean while, Niki snorted at the girl, because she had caught Kevin's attention.  
Then he heard another giggle. It didn't sound like the same girl. He turned around.  
"Niki, you look like a retard. What are you trying to do?" Kevin went back to his browsing. Niki had been hiding behind a rack just like the girl, but she was in a bikini. She sighed and walked away.  
"I didn't like the bikini, anyway." She mumbled.  
"Come, on, guys! This isn't the time to shop! We NEED to get out of this building!" Derek yelled, trying to get everyone's attention.  
"Hey, Derek!" Sam yelled. "Look at this cool Matrix-like stuff!" He hugged it. "I'm getting it!" Sam kidded. "I like Modern clothes better than urban, anyway."  
"Huh, well, why don't you bring your stupid modern clothes, and let's get out of here?!" Everyone in the Matrix/Modern clothing section (including Sam) looked at Derek.  
"Gasp, DEREK! Don't EVER say that!" All the Matrix fans started mumbling to themselves as they gave hateful looks to Derek.  
"Okay, okay, let's just go!" Derek finally said, before taking out all the cash everyone wanted for clothes. "Good bye, my poor savings!" he said sadly as everyone gave him a weird look for copying Miki in "Marmalade Boy" when she had to bring Yu's old girlfriend out to lunch, or what ever it was. "Hey, I like that Manga." He said.  
FINALLY, they got out of the building. "So what are we going to do about housing?" Kevin asked.  
"You HAD to bring that up." Derek sighed. "You guys used all the money we could have used for an apartment for your clothes!"  
"Hey, look at this!" Amy said, kneeling down to pick up a poster lying on the ground. "It says 'Get up on stage! Be a star! Show the world who you are! Come to the Galaxy Theatre, and get up on stage. If your band is good enough, you might become famous!' maybe that's how we can have enough money to get an apartment. Maybe THREE apartments!" She squealed.  
"Does that mean that I can rap?!" Kevin asked, all of a sudden out of his trance.  
"I'd rather sing soul or jazz." Niki commented.  
"We can sing anything we want, as long as it's techno-like." Sam butted in.  
"OH, there you go again, acting like HENRY FORD!!! Will, you shut up?!" Derek accused.  
"HEY! Henry Ford was a great man! And why are you telling ME to shut up, faker?!"  
"I'M NOT A FAKER! YOU'RE A FAKER!!  
"YOU ARE SO A FAKER! HOW COULD I BE A FAKER?!"  
"BECAUSE YOU WERE MADE, NOT BORN!!"  
"YOU GOT ME MAD, SONIC!!"  
"WELL, YOU'VE GOT ME MAD, SHADOW!!"  
"SHUT UP!!!" Kevin yelled at the both of them. They both immediately started pouting and pointing at each other. "Derek, what happened to the rule that we're to call each other by human names?" Kevin demanded.  
"Well, well, well-he started it!" Derek accused.  
"What ever."  
"WELL, HE DID!! What, you don't believe me?! KNUX, I thought you were my friend!"  
"HYPICRITE!" Sam yelled. Derek and Sam quarreled while Kevin, Amy, Tyler, and Niki decided what they were going to do.  
"I vote for being a music band. I started piano lessons a while ago, and I'm not too bad at trumpet." Tyler said.  
"I play Saxophone and the Xylophone." Niki added. "And plus, my voice is SPECTACULAR!"  
"Sure it is." Kevin answered. "And I'm a natural at the drums."  
"Hey, Rouge! I mean, Niki! We have something in common! We both play the XYLOPHONE!" Amy squealed. "I also play flute and I can help out with extra sounds."  
"Oh, that's terrific." Niki moaned.  
"But what about Derek and Sam?" Tyler reminded. They all looked back at the two of them fighting impishly. "What do they play?"  
"OOH! OOH! I KNOW!" Amy jumped up and down with her arm up.  
"WE'RE NOT IN SCHOOL, YOU IMP! JUST TELL US!" Kevin yelled, now realizing what Sam went through at home.  
"Okay, okay. I know that my Sonniku plays guitar!"  
"Yeah, and what does Shad-er, Sam play?" Tyler corrected.  
"Well, he plays his bass guitar for me once in a while, so that must mean-HE PLAYS BASS GUITAR!" Amy said, proud that she had figured it out.  
"Hey, no kidding!" Kevin said sarcastically.  
"Well, we've got plenty of talents for the band, but how are we going to get the money to buy these instruments?" Tyler asked.  
"We could rent some, I guess. Usually music stores have instruments you can rent."  
"How would you know? Stole a few pearl valved trumpets, and just happen to see a sign on the way out 'Renting Instruments'?" Kevin commented.  
"Does that matter right now?!" Niki demanded. "You're just making it harder for us. Could ya help instead of making rude comments?!"  
"Fine, fine."  
"We need to get a little more cash even to do that." Tyler said, making it harder with all his reminders.  
"Well, I guess for now we should stay in one apartment together while we're looking for jobs." Kevin suggested, crossing his arms.  
"I know! I'll work for Dairy Queen!" Amy shrieked.  
"You do that." Kevin answered.  
"I'll stay at home. I DON'T want to work for some fast food store." Niki said, in a 'holier-than-thou' tone.  
"Oh yeah? Look who's making it harder now!" Kevin retorted. Sonic walked over in pain. "And Sonic can work at MacDonald's!" He exclaimed.  
"Yeah, whatever. As long as Sam works at Burger King." Sonic winced.  
"Ow---," Sam moaned.  
No one knew, but around the corner, someone was watching them.  
  
******************************  
  
Yay! Another Chapter done! It took a long time, didn't it? I'm sorry. Well, anyway, I'm getting the next one going soon. PLEASE REVIEW!! And where should Knuckles, Rouge, and Tails work? I'm thinking of making Amy work at a day-care center instead of Dairy Queen. And Tails is too young to work any where, really. I'm not sure yet. Help with those ideas. And sorry there isn't much mystery yet. But in later chapters, you will see that there IS mystery. Just think about everything, and you see. THANKS FOR READING!! -me!! 


	3. Get Used to It

Ok, here's number THREE! I own a lot of the ppl in it. I can't you now cuz it's a secretive thingy.  
  
Well, any way, here it is:  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Kevin sighed. "How did I get myself into this?" he asked himself. He stood behind a counter a Dunk n' Doughnuts. He was feeling sick because of the altitude difference lately, too. The human closed his eyes peacefully, when he was startled by a familiar voice.  
"Hey! Hey!" The voice said.  
"Huh? Oh, Tyler. What's up? Can I get you anything?"  
"I still can't find a job!" The 11-year-old said.  
"Well, you ARE eleven."  
"Yeah, but I even tried selling lemonade, but some man came and spilt all of it and said 'this is a CITY not a VILLAGE!'"  
"Oh. Well, did you try the daycare with Amy?" Kevin suggested, already knowing the human-fox's answer.  
"What?! Are you crazy?! I'm not going to work with her." He answered. Kevin felt his hair. It was so much shorter than his dread-locks. How he missed being on his island in his normal echidna body.  
"Why don't you complain to Sonic-er, Derek? He's the one who got into this mess." Kevin mumbled in a cranky tone.  
"You aren't feeling well, are you?" Tyler asked.  
"No, I'm not. I want to go back to my island." Tyler shushed Kevin.  
"Maybe you should ask for a break."  
"On my first day? No. First impressions mean everything. Why don't you go mow lawns or something?"  
"Na. That doesn't sound like a great idea to me."  
"Well, uh-," Kevin paused. "Why don't you just go to the alley where we're meeting Derek? If you think of something, well, then try it."  
"Okay, I guess." Tyler sighed. He put his hands in his pockets and left. As he walked out the door, a girl slipped by him, accidentally knocking him over onto the sidewalk.  
"Oh, I'm so sorry, are you okay?!" the girl asked, kneeling down to him.  
"Uh, yeah--," Tyler answered. He looked at her. She gasped, as if recognizing him. The girl had a golden color hair, put up in to buns in the position of a fox's ears [that style is called 'frog eyes buns'. My hair is WAY too thick to try to put it up by myself. But it's really cute]. She looked about eleven. "Do I know you?" the little boy asked.  
"Um, I don't think so. W-what's your name?" She stuttered, as if she knew.  
"Tail-I mean, Tyler." He said. "Who are you?"  
"Taylor." She put her hand out to help him up, and he took it. Taylor pulled him to his feet, and she smiled. "You wanna be friends?" She said, in almost a childish way.  
"Okay. I'm new here, so I could use a friend." He said. Taylor's floral skirt blew with the wind as a gust went by. Her shirt was a white tank top, which looked as if it was styled in order to look appropriate for her age group. "Taylor?" Tyler asked.  
"Uh-huh?"  
"Do you know of any places that could take an eleven year old to work? I'm very good with machinery."  
"Why would you want to work?" Taylor asked, starting to walk.  
"Well," He walked next to her. "It's hard to explain. My frien-I mean, siblings and I need money. They're all older than I am, so they can get jobs like at Berger King or something."  
"I see." She mumbled. "You could work at my uncle's work shop." She suggested.  
"Could you come with me?"  
"Uh---no, I can't. Why don't you go now, and I'll see you tomorrow."  
"Um, okay."  
"The shop is on Stock Street. It's not the nicest name for a street, but that's where it is. Bye, Tyler, and good luck." She said, turning around nervously and walking in the opposite direction before Tyler could say anything. The sun was setting, and the sidewalk turned an orange-gray color. A tear rolled down Tyler's cheek. He touched the spot where his ears used to be on his head, and felt hair. He, too, was getting homesick.  
"Come on, Tails." A deep voice said behind him. Tyler slowly turned around, wiping his tears away with a hand. The voice was Kevin. "Let's go meet Sonic in the alley." Kevin said, knowing that no one heard him say 'Tails' or 'Sonic'.  
"Knuckles, I'm homesick." The teary-eyed boy said.  
"Yeah, I know." Kevin answered, looking straight ahead as they started to walk. Tyler clung to Kevin's new work shirt, wiping more tears away as they came. Kevin didn't seem to mind in this situation. In any other, he would have pushed him away.  
"We'll be home soon." Kevin assured the crying boy. "soon."  
  
In the alley:  
  
Derek sat himself down in a tire in the alley everyone was to meet at. His wild blue bangs in his face were getting on his nerves, but he knew he'd get used to them. He was just thinking about his favorite chair at his home, when he was interrupted by Sam's flustered voice.  
"I can't believe I'm working at BERGER KING!! I wasn't made for this!" He said, throwing his arms up and jumping onto an old sofa.  
"Well, I have to work at MacDonald's."  
"You've got a point."  
"Well, how much did you get today?"  
"Forty-two bucks."  
"Oh."  
"And you?"  
"Forty." Derek mumbled.  
"Yeah! I beat you!" Sam yelled.  
"Just by 2 dollars!" Derek answered.  
"Yeah, so I still did. You can't admit I'm better!" Sam said, sticking his tongue out. Before Derek could answer, Kevin came into the alley with Tyler clinging to him. Tyler immediately ran over to Derek crying.  
"He's homesick." Kevin simply said before sitting on the ground. Then Amy and Niki came in.  
"I don't want to sit on some dirty junk! What do I look like?! A human?!" Niki exclaimed, obviously forgetting the state she was in. Everyone nodded and started to laugh. Niki looked down at herself. "So THAT'S what my feet look like."  
"Okay, that was perverted." Kevin commented.  
"What's per-vert-ed?" Amy asked, yet another stupid question.  
"The fact that Rou-I mean, NIKI, has never seen her feet 'cause of her big, fat-,"  
"PLEASE, Kevin. Her brain can't handle it all!" Sam said, laughing uncontrollably on the junky sofa.  
"No, Tyler is here. We don't wanna talk about that kinda stuff when there's an 11 year old about." Derek corrected.  
"Son-I mean Derek, do you actually think I never noticed Niki's--," Tyler asked.  
"OKAY! That's enough about my--,"  
"Shushie!" Kevin said in teasing tone, with a weird expression on his face.  
"But I wanna know what perverted means!!" Amy screamed.  
"No, you don't." Derek said.  
"Okay!" Amy shrugged as if the conversation had never happened.  
"So what kind of money did we get?" Derek finally asked.  
"REAL money." Amy said, trying to be smart and come up with an answer to outsmart him.  
"I didn't mean it that way."  
"Oh! Sure you didn't! You know I'm smarter! Yes! Yes you do! Yes I am!" Amy said, crossing her arms and nodding her head. She looked like an idiot with the 'I-know-it-all' expression on her face.  
"Wow, Amy! You really outsmarted me!" Derek said, sarcastically, mostly to shut her up. Everyone laughed to themselves while Amy was looking so sure of herself, and stubborn as a donkey at the same time. "Okay, back to what we were talking about."  
"I got 42, and Derek only 40!" Sam said, slamming his money in the middle of the circle they had just made. "Yeah! I beat him again!" While Sam was celebrating his victory, the others went on with their money counting. Derek also put down his money.  
"So far that's 82 dollars, plus my 50." Kevin said, drowsily.  
"Equals, 8 dollars, and 250 cents!" Amy shrieked. "That isn't a lot, is it?" Everyone ignored her.  
"Then that's 132 dollars!" Niki exclaimed.  
"And how much did you get?" Kevin observed she hadn't said anything about how much she'd gotten.  
"I uh--, I only got 20-," She stuttered, lightly putting the money on the ground.  
"How?" Kevin said, being nosey.  
"Stealing---," Niki tried to avoid the subject. Everyone either put their face in their hands or put their hands on their foreheads. They all sighed.  
"Once a theft, always a theft. Now I KNOW you haven't changed." Kevin mumbled, remembering the day he had fallen in love with that bat named Rouge because she said she'd changed.  
"Hey!" Niki shouted, standing up. She was really upset she'd done it, but also, they weren't being grateful. "This makes the money we've got up to 153 dollars!" Her eyes got watery. "You should be able to take it! We're in an ALLEY, not a mansion, in case you haven't noticed." Niki's voice lowered quite a bit as she looked at everyone staring back at her. "If you guys can't be grateful for the money I got, and for who I am-," She paused. "I'M LEAVING!" Niki rushed out of the alley, and started speed walking down the sidewalk. She had grabbed a dirty, old blanket before she left the alley, so her body wasn't as exposed, and she wasn't cold. It was the middle of the night.  
Kevin looked at all his friends, and then at Tyler sleeping on the sofa. He, too, stood up and left.  
"He's going after her." Amy wept. "The perfect romance movie!" She cried a little, but Sam smacked the back of her head, informing her to shut up.  
"I think we all knew he still cared for her." Derek whispered.  
  
Kevin caught up to Niki. "Rouge," He used her real name to calm her down. He tried to walk beside her, but she got faster every time he evened out with her. 'I hate to do this, but this could be the only way to get her to listen to me.' Kevin thought. When Kevin got close enough to her, he grabbed Niki, and gave her an affectionate kiss on the lips. Kevin had forgotten what it was like to feel someone's lips against his own. He hugged her, to let her know he cared. Her arms were now around him, her body filling with warmth.  
"We both know--," she whispered, looking at him in the eyes. "that you did that to calm me down." She took advantage of the moment, and hugged him close. He stood with her, feeling a midnight breeze go by.  
"Rouge," He whispered. "we all know that you tried, and that you got the money for our sake, but that doesn't make it right."  
"I-I know." She admitted, still hugging him tight.  
"So promise me now," He paused. "never to steal again."  
"Only if you kiss me." Niki said. Kevin smiled as he looked down at her eyes, as if to say 'I'm happy to', and gave her a long passionate kiss, the kind she'd been hoping for. Kevin had to admit to himself that he was happy to kiss her again. He stroked her hair for a little bit, and then they were headed back to the alley, but this time, holding hands.  
"Knuckles," Niki started, before they got back. She stopped him on the sidewalk and held both of his hands. "Can we try again? Please? I know you still love me, but why can't we try again?" Kevin sighed.  
"It's true," He mumbled, trying to avoid eye contact at this point. "I do still love you. But it isn't the same kind of passionate love that I had before. At this point, I care for you. And I will always care for you, but to answer your question, we can't." Niki looked down, disappointed. "I think we should both move on." Kevin finished.  
"Oh. Okay." She hesitated. "Does that mean you want to go out with that Princess girl?" Kevin snapped back to attention.  
"HEY! Leave Princess Tikal OUT of this!"  
"Okay, okay, just wondering." She answered as she started to walk. She gave him a side smile. Niki was back to her old self. Kevin didn't realize it, but he was smiling. He didn't realize, either, that he really did enjoy Niki's taunting teases and jokes. Niki noticed him smile and acted as sassy a possible as she walked away.  
"Alright, now it's getting to the point where I don't care." He said. She slumped and turned into the alley.  
  
Three days later, explanation of apartments:  
  
Instead of having THREE apartments like Amy had suggested, they could only afford two. One for the boys, and one for Amy and Niki. So in a way, you could say that Amy and Niki had a lot more comfort space than everyone else did.  
Amy and Niki's apartment was next door to everyone else's. They had two bed rooms, a living/front room, a kitchen, and two bathrooms. They were well off. As for Kevin, Derek, Tyler, and Sam, well, they had the same type of apartment. Two bed rooms, a living/front room, a kitchen, and two bathrooms. At first, they couldn't decide who would sleep in the same rooms as who. They all decided that Derek and Sam would NOT room together, and you can only guess why. But Tyler wanted to room with Derek, and Kevin and Sam DID NOT want to room together. So, Kevin, being who he was, slept on the sofa in the front room. ( That took a while for them to figure out.  
  
Four days later, on the week end:  
  
"YES! I don't have to work on the week ends!" Derek exclaimed as he threw him self on the sofa in front of the TV. At first he didn't see Kevin lying on the sofa.  
"OW! YOU JERK!" Kevin threw Derek off him, flat on his face on the rug. "HOW MUCH DO YOU WAY, MAN?!"  
"Uhhh--," Derek sat up on the floor and faced his friend. "It's not nice to ask people's weights?"  
"What are you, a girl?" Kevin chuckled.  
"HEY!! WHO ARE YOU CALLING A GIRL?!"  
"You."  
"WHO'S THIS SECTION NAMED AFTER, MISTER?!"  
"Sonic the Hedgehog."  
"THAT'S ME!!"  
"No. You're Derek Gohegdeh."  
"Hey, how'd you come up with that last name?" Derek asked, finally calming down.  
"I just spelt hedgehog back words." Kevin answered, looking extremely smart [(].  
"Ooooh---. I get it." Derek said, getting up.  
"Yeah."  
"So you'd be---," Derek had to think a minute. "Kevin Andihce."  
"Yeah."  
"You've got a better name than me!" Derek pouted as he walked in to the room he shared with Tyler.  
"oooookay." Kevin said under his breath as he opened up the book he was reading before he was interrupted.  
"What's that you're reading?" A voice said above him. It was Niki.  
"Who let you in here?" He questioned while trying to read at the same time.  
"I have an extra key, you know."  
"No, I didn't."  
"Well, I do." Niki was sitting on the arm of the sofa. Kevin's head was leaned against her thigh. He seemed not to care. She started to stroke his red hair.  
"Get your fingers off my head." He said in an irritated tone. She made a scowling noise. "You know, I think Shadow is over you now." He said. They used they're real names when they were in the privacy of their apartments.  
"How did you know about Shads' secret?" Niki said, a bit surprised.  
"I'm a guardian, I sense a lot of things. I know a lot of secrets just by watching people." He answered, being a show off.  
"Yeah? Like what kind of secrets?" Niki taunted, testing his ability.  
  
"I know what kind of under wear you wear."  
"HOW?!" Niki screamed, jumping of from the arm rest. Kevin's head came down with a thump.  
"With pants as tight as yours? I can see." He rubbed the back of his head. "When I first noticed, I was sure that Shadow would like to know, you being his crush and all--,"  
"KNUCKLES! You didn't!" She gasped.  
"So I told him. He nodded in satisfactory." Kevin laughed to himself. Niki stormed out of the apartment, and Kevin heard her door slam shut. That's when Tyler ran in.  
"HEY, EVERYONE! I GOT MY TRUMPET!" Kevin, Derek, Sam, and Amy rushed over to see it. Niki was in her apartment.  
"It's nice! I hope you used your money, though, and not the group's." Derek commented.  
"Well, I only took 50 dollars out of the group's money, but I worked for the rest! A friend also helped me."  
"What 'friend', Tails?" Kevin said, crossing his arms.  
"A friend. I met her when I talked to when we were still in the alley. She gave me job suggestions."  
"You didn't tell her anything, did you?" Sam asked.  
"No! And any way, Taylor wouldn't do anything to give me away, even if I did tell her."  
"You still don't want to. You never know."  
"It's a GIRL?! LOVE IS IN THE AIR!" Amy screamed.  
"Will you SHUT UP?!" Sam yelled at her.  
"---Meep---"  
"But if I have my trumpet, I can start practicing. I can also start my theme song."  
"We should all be working on our theme songs if we're going to do this in time." Derek said.  
"I've already started mine." Niki's voice said from the door.  
"Well, Miss Snooty!" Kevin taunted. Niki came and looked at the trumpet with everyone.  
  
Mean while: [This part will be with the different parts like in interviews.]  
  
Man #1: So, girls, have you caught their attention yet?  
  
Man #2: Hey! I'm here, too, you know!  
  
Man #3: Yeah! Me, too!  
  
Man #1: oh, yeah, I forgot about you. Well, have you done what I created you for?  
  
Woman #1: What are you talking about, "created"?  
  
Man #1: If you think about it, I really did create you. I saved each and every one of your lives and re-created you so you'd be perfect!  
  
Woman #1: tsk, just get on with the meeting. We have researching to do.  
  
Man #1: okay, okay. Is everyone here?  
  
Young Girl: *running in, panting* so---so sorry I'm late---,  
  
Man #1" TAYLOR! You're late AGAIN!  
  
Young Girl: *whimpering* I said I was sorry! I had to finish up!  
  
Man #1: oh, alright. Well, how is our progress?  
  
Woman #2: I haven't done anything yet. I'm waiting for the perfect opportunity.  
  
Man #1: smart. But, if you slack, I'll have to destroy you.  
  
Young Girl: I---I didn't know where he was at, first, to tell the truth. I hadn't been researching enough. He's so hard to find, though! Really!  
  
Man #1: If he didn't like you so much, I'd destroy you right here and now! You're so un-prepared!  
  
Man #3: *butting in* I haven't done anything, either.  
  
Man #1: WHY NOT?!  
  
Man #3: You actually expect me to go after that girl?! She's such a ditz!  
  
Man #1: I don't care if she's smart or not, I'll blow you up if you don't meet her in the next 5 days!  
  
Man #3: fine.  
  
Man #2: I can't wait to get in on my turn. She's so hot. But she's always hanging around that stupid red head!  
  
Man #1: Don't worry, she'll be away from him soon enough.  
  
Woman #1: HEY! Watch what you say, Brad! That 'stupid red-head' is my project! But, to tell the truth, boss, I think he suspects something.  
  
Man #1: IMPOSSIBLE! Tell him anything, and he'll believe it. He is as gullible as a monkey! Watch this! *turns to a little monkey* *hands the monkey a laser* Did you know that your cousin, the ape, is trying to kill all you monkeys?  
  
Monkey: oo? (translation: huh?)  
  
Man #1: well, you see, they want to destroy you! [but, really, secretly, this guy is trying to destroy all moneys and turn them into crab cakes.] So, why don't you go blow them up, before they get to you?  
  
Monkey: ooo uh ah hoo, ahhooo! (translation: impossible, ~~~ ~~~~ [un, let's NOT translate that word.]!) *zaps man #1 with laser*  
  
Man #1: ow---- okay, maybe not a monkey---  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
After a couple of days, most of our Sonic friends had their instruments, and to save time, they started to come up with a name.  
"How 'bout---the Sweet Hearts!" Amy shrieked.  
"How 'bout---NOT!" Sam retorted.  
"Um, I don't like that name, but I'm sure we can work with it."  
"Amy, you're such an idiot!"  
"What did I do?"  
"Just shut up." Sam scowled. They were all sitting in a circle on the rug of the living room in the boys' apartment since Derek couldn't stand being in Amy's with all the pictures of himself in there.  
"Oh, I have an idea." Kevin started. "Nacho Mama's."  
"We're not a restaurant." [really, my dad was going to start a restaurant called "Nacho Mama's", as in "Not your Mama's". pretty clever, isn't it? Well, he decided against the idea. O well.] Derek said, all of a sudden thinking of chili dogs.  
"How about 'Sonic Team'?" Tyler suggested.  
"That's too bland." Derek answered.  
"Why does it have to be with Sonic's name? Why can't it be 'Sunlight over Shadows'?"  
"Hey, I like that!" Amy shrieked.  
"The name?" Sam looked hopeful that he had a vote.  
"No, the story on www.fanfiction.net. It's a good one, you should read it." [please read that fic, my friend needs help, because it really is good, but no has given it a chance to start yet.] Sam made a scowling noise and went back to thinking of names.  
"If it has the name 'Sonic' in it, people might get the idea that we're really cool. The word 'sonic' isn't only Sonic's name, it's also a word by it's self." Tyler reminded.  
"Yeah." Everyone said drearily at the same time.  
"So, I suggest, 'Sonic Boom'." Tyler suggested.  
"But isn't that a song from Knothole?" Sonic asked, remembering when he first heard it.  
"Yeah, but they don't know that."  
"True." Everyone seemed to like the idea. So that was the name. 'Sonic Boom'.  
  
The next day, Sam was looking around for a bass guitar. For some reason, he didn't want to wear the matrix stuff he had bought a couple weeks ago. He stayed in his original clothes. He looked in a window of a shop. Sam saw his reflection, and studied his face. 'My eyes are red.' He thought. His hedgehog eyes were red, but being a human with red eyes must be a freaky sight. After staring quite a bit, he looked at the sign for the shop.  
"De Olde Guitar Shoppe" It said in fancy lettering.  
"What are they gonna sell there? Lutes?" Sam said to him self. He walked down a ways, and saw another guitar shop. This one looked a lot better from the grandpa one. Sam stepped in. He saw rows and rows of different guitars and other string instruments. He walked into an isle in the back, wear the basses were. Sam picked one up and looked at it. It was red and black-his two favorite colors. Then, he heard someone behind him. It surprised him and he dropped the bass guitar.  
Before it hit the ground, someone 'flew' out and caught it.  
"You should try to be more careful!" The kind woman's voice said. Sam looked at the girl who was talking to him. She had light brown hair, with streaks of blue, red, pink, yellow, and many other colors in it. Her hair went a little lower than her shoulders, and there were buns on her head, as well [I don't know if this is easy to imagine. She has her hair down, but the top layer is put up into two buns like Taylor's---? Sorry, I'll try to draw a pic and put it somewhere]. Sam's mouth wouldn't let him speak. This girl was too beautiful. 'I must be dreaming' was all he thought. "Um, hello?" She smiled.  
Sam shook it off. "Uh, sorry." The girl giggled. She was wearing a white shirt that had long sleeves. Over that, she had a light blue short sleeve shirt that opened up down the center. She had bell-bottom jeans on.  
"Do you play guitar?" She asked, holding up the bass he had dropped.  
"Yeah, bass." Sam answered.  
"Oh. You must be good at it."  
"I guess you could say that." He said modestly. "I mean, I've never had a lesson. I taught myself." The girl giggled again. Sam liked the sound of her laugh. "Do you play any instruments?" He hesitated.  
"Uh, yeah, but I don't think I'd be half as good as you." She said as if it was obvious.  
"So, uh, what's your name?" He asked.  
"Victoria. Victoria Glass." She said putting out her hand to shake.  
"Victoria?" He shook her hand. 'Victoria----kinda sounds like victory.' He thought. "Mine name's Sam."  
"Do you have a last name, Sam?"  
"Oh, yeah, of course." He thought for a moment. "It's Gohegdeh."  
"Ah, interesting." She smiled at him. "So are you gonna buy the guitar?"  
"It matters how much it is."  
"Well, the tag says 450 dollars."  
"Damn---," Sam whispered.  
"What's wrong?" Victoria cocked her head.  
"Well, you see, I have to get a bass, because my friends and I are starting a band, and my other one is broken. We have money that we all got, and I don't want to use all of it. We have 500 to spend, but I don't want to use that much."  
"Well, let me give you 100." Sam's eyes widened.  
"One-one hundred?"  
"Yeah." Victoria said while digging into her pocket. She handed him the bass. Then she handed him the 100 dollars. 'I hardly know her and she's already giving me money. What's she getting at?!' Sam thought.  
"Uh, thanks. If I can ever repay you, please, name it."  
"Okay. Will you go out with me?" She looked even more beautiful when she asked.  
"Sure." Sam shrugged. Inside, his heart was thumping. 'This girl is crazy.' He thought. 'But I like that!'  
After buying the guitar, Sam walked with Victoria to his apartment. He dropped the guitar off, and then they went out for lunch.  
  
Niki was at a diner, trying to think of words for her theme. "This is harder than I thought! What rhymes with 'mind'?! Okay, nothing that will work! How about 'time'? It'll work!" Niki debated with herself while she jotted down ideas. With the AC blasting in the diner, Niki's exposed arms and legs were getting cold. She shifted, while looking at the people around her. She was sitting in a booth, and the bar was on her right. Two guys were looking at her from the bar. She waved with a sassy smile then went back to thinking.  
"Hey, there." One of the guys came over. Niki covered up her work and ideas. "What's that you're doing there?" He said, being impossible. 'He's hot.' Niki thought. He had black hair, with a 'muscle shirt' and zip-off pants [booooooorrrrrrrrrrring. I didn't have any ideas].  
"Nothing, really." She answered with her flirty smile on.  
"So, can I buy you a drink?" He asked.  
"Well, if you tell me your name, maybe I'll let you."  
"The name's Brad."  
"My name's Rou-I mean Niki."  
"What were you going to say before?"  
"Huh? Oh, I was just thinking about how I-uh, I had to buy some more of a different color rouge. I don't like this one."  
"I like what you're wearing now. It suits you."  
"Thanks." She answered. 'That was a close one.' Niki thought.  
"So what about that drink?" Brad asked.  
"Sure." Niki gave him a side smile of approval.  
  
At the same time, Amy was getting ready to leave the day-care. She had had an action-packed day because they had a new child come and he was quite the brat.  
Amy grabbed her purse, and limply went out the door and locked it. She was always the last one there.  
When she walked down the side walk, she started thinking of Sonic the Hedgehog, but not Derek the Human. She was worried that her affections would die down if they didn't become their normal selves again. Amy didn't have a care in the world about humans. The only species she'd love is a hedgehog, even if it meant being human for life.  
Amy was looking at the side walk as she moved over it. She accidentally bumped into someone.  
"Oh, sorry." She said, not even looking up. Who ever it was didn't seem to care, so just kept her walking. As she walked away, a mysterious figure watched.  
"He missed his chance again. The boss isn't gonna be too happy, that's for sure." The on-looker whispered.  
  
~~~~****~~~~****~~~~****~~~~  
  
Me: ANOTHER CHAPTER DONE!!! YAY!!! Oh yeah. Ya know how I always talk about those pictures that I'm going to get around to drawing? Well, I finished Taylor's picture, Victoria's, and Tobitha's! I even drew them chibi style, as well! Yay! Well, if you know a site that I can post them for u to see, then PLEASE tell me, cuz I want you to see 'em. It would help the story, anyway. I have an advertisement: Please read the story "Sunlight over Shadows" bcuz it's a really nice beginning and all that stuff. It doesn't have a cliffhanger, so it's hard to get attached to, but I'm sure Capricorn Chaos will add SOME kind of plot, right? And anyway, I like the title. That's one thing that gets ya hooked, right? The title is clever, right?! RIGHT?! Everyone else: WE GET IT, CAN WE REVIEW NOW?!?! Me: oh yeah, who's stoppin' ya? Oh yeah, I am. Well, thanks for reading! 


	4. New Friends

CHAPTER FOUR!!! And I don't own any of the characters that u see in any of the Sonic games or anything. If I did, I'd be rich and I would be swimming in my indoor heated pool! Yeah! And then I'd invite u all over for a party! Not! Ok, enough of my blah-blaming. Here's the fourth chappie of Hedgehogs to Humans, my frieeeeeeends!! Looks a clam! (:) ***********************  
  
Amy lay on her bed looking at a picture of her Sonniku. "He's gone. We all are." She mumbled.  
"What's keeping you down?" Derek asked, walking into the room. He had his usual "heroic" and "self-assured" smile on, but it wasn't the same. 'I guess humans are a boring species.' Amy thought.  
"Huh? Oh, nothing, nothing!" She said, trying to be her normal perky self. Derek took the picture out of her hands as he sat at the end of her bed.  
"Oh. It's me."  
"Yeah." She answered, trying to avoid eye contact.  
"We'll be our normal selves soon." He assured her, putting the picture on the bed beside him. He put his hand on her's.  
"Sonic," Amy started.  
"What?"  
"I'm confused. You say you can't stand me, but in times like these, you're so affectionate. I don't get it." Derek was surprised at the ditz's wise choice of words, and sighed. "I mean, really. Tell where this is going." She tried not to change the subject.  
"I," Derek mumbled, looking away and slowly removing his hand. He took a quick glance at the blonde's concerned and curious face. "I don't have an answer for you." He sighed and left the room quick enough so she couldn't start another conversation.  
Amy looked at the picture again, and put her face in her pillow and cried.  
  
Mean while, Sam and Victoria were at an amusement park having a great time. They didn't go on a lot of the rides; they just enjoyed each other's company.  
"So how is the band going with Derek and the rest?" Victoria asked as they sat down eating they're cotton candy.  
"Oh, its okay. We still haven't figured out what we're going to do for the sound effects that Amy's gonna do. We have her flute and the Xylophone that both Amy and Niki are going to use."  
"Oh, good." She said.  
"So," Sam started, shifting his weight. "What have you been up to lately?"  
"Uhmmm, nothing much."  
"Ah." Sam looked at Victoria and then her hair. "Hey, Victoria, what was your original hair color?" He asked. Her hair had colors died in, and you could barely tell what the original was.  
"Oh, you can see a little patch of it right here." She said, combing her fingers trough it until she found the little patch. She showed it to him, and he noticed something. It was the same color as Maria's.  
"Maria," He whispered.  
"What? Who's Maria?" Victoria said with a smile on. Sam made an 'hm' sound and got up. He started to walk, and Victoria followed. "Sam? What's wrong?" she kept asking, but he never answered. He turned to her. Her smile was soon a look of concern.  
"Victoria," He said, putting his hands on her face. "I need to go home to think. I'm sorry we couldn't be together longer."  
"Um, ok." She whimpered. "What's wrong?"  
"I," He kept his hands on her face, but looked away. "I just need to think." Then he left her standing at the amusement park.  
  
When Sam got back to the Apartment Building, he passed the girls' apartment before he got to theirs. He looked in because the door was open. Niki and her new boyfriend "Brad" were rolling around on the couch to the floor doing naughty stuff [yes, they DID have their clothes on].  
"I can tell you guys love privacy." Sam called in as he shut the door for them. They seemed not to notice. Then, he walked into the boys' apartment where he sat on his bed and put his hands in his face. "Maria," He whispered again. "Now that I'm human, why are you dead? I'm here now. I could have loved you, but no, you died." Sam sighed and started to weep a bit, but not too much. He had a reputation. "I can't believe I actually almost forgot about her." He whispered, even quieter than before.  
"What's wrong with you?" Kevin said, walking in.  
"Nothing. Leave me alone. Don't you have a girlfriend to hang out with?" Sam snapped.  
"Hey, calm yourself, dude." Kevin said, walking over to his closet. "This is my room, too, I can do anything I want in here."  
"But you don't sleep in here."  
"So? My stuff is in it. It's my room, too." Kevin took out a book he was going to read. "I'm going into town later, do you want to come? You can bring your girl along if you like."  
"No thanks. I'm staying here." Sam answered, almost in a whisper. He took his jacket off as Kevin left the room and lay down on the bed. He soon fell asleep.  
  
A couple hours later, Kevin went into town as he had told Sam. He decided to go to the book sale, now that he had finished his other book. Lately he had been reading more, since there was no guarding to do. Kevin saw a book and went to grab it, but someone beat him to it. He looked up at the snatcher. He raised an eyebrow.  
"Oh, I'm sorry, did you want this book?" The woman giggled.  
"Oh, no, I was just reaching for it. Thought I'd throw it on the ground." He said sarcasticly. She giggled, and he thought it sounded familiar. He looked at her again. She had long blond hair, with long bangs over her eyes. "Have I met you before?" He asked.  
"I don't think so." She beamed. She was wearing a jean jacket over an orange shirt. Her pants were jeans and they were bell bottoms [or Flairs].  
"You smile too much." He mumbled, as if a joke.  
"You're funny. In a sarcastic way."  
"Is that a good thing?" Kevin said, keeping his eye on the book he wanted. The girl shrugged.  
"I don't know, is it?" Kevin thought this game was fun, but he didn't feel like playing.  
"Are you going to look at that book or not?" He said, eager to get his hands on something to read.  
"How can someone like you like to read?" She asked, observing his punkish clothing.  
"It's not like I have anything else to do." He said leaning back. She looked at him for a moment.  
"How about you go to dinner with me?" She asked, giving him a suggestive look.  
"Well, how can I date you if I don't even know your name? I'm Kevin."  
  
"My name's Tobitha."  
"Tobitha, eh?" He looked at her. "That's an---hem----interesting name."  
"Hey, I'm not asking you out to make fun of meh name." She said, starting to walk away with the book. Then Knuckles remembered where he saw her.  
"The store." He said to himself. He wondered if maybe she knew anything about him. She might have been following him.  
"Wait," He called, catching up with her. "Tobitha, sorry. I'll go to dinner with you." He said. She smiled at him.  
"Really? What time?"  
"Uh, how bout 8 at that new restaurant in town?"  
"Sure!" She exclaimed, pushing the book into his chest and running away in the opposite direction. "See you then!" She called back. Kevin looked at the book and rolled his eyes.  
  
At seven thirty, Kevin was getting ready to go.  
"Where are you going?" Derek asked, watching his friend try to pick something out to wear.  
"Where does it look like I'm going?"  
"A date?"  
"Yup."  
"What's her name?"  
"Tobitha."  
"Tobitha?"  
"Tobitha."  
"That's a funny name."  
"Yeah, I said the same thing." Kevin finally found some thing laid back and not too punk like himself. He added a little more jell to his hair, and then looked in the mirror. He WAS human, and this WAS happening. Kevin often found himself wondering how the Master Emerald and Angel Island was doing. Tikal was most likely watching the emerald.  
"So, how's your song going?" Derek finally asked.  
"Song?"  
"We ARE still doing the band thing, right?"  
"Of course. I just have to think of what I'm going to write my song ABOUT." Kevin adjusted his button down shirt. 'This body looks really bad with button down shirts. This sucks.' He thought.  
"Well, for starters, you know its going to be a rap."  
"Uh, yeah. You can do the chorus line, Sonic." Kevin said, pretending he was listening. He walked into the living room where Niki was sitting. "Sorry, little girl, visiting hours are over." He taunted. "Aren't you going on a date with Brad?"  
"I know you're jealous, Knux." Kevin froze in his steps and stared at his 'X' girlfriend who USED to be a bat. Kevin then realized that, yes, he was jealous. He looked at her again. They were both human now.  
"Yeah, but I've got a date." Kevin finally said, denying the fact that what she said was true. Niki shook her head, and her eyes watered.  
"You know, Knuckles?" She sniffed. "I think being human is messing us all up. I've noticed." Kevin couldn't help but sit next to Niki and let her put her head on his shoulder for emotional support. "I've noticed that Shadow is different. That girl of his. I think she's made him forget about Maria.  
"Rouge, you know that's impossible."  
"Yes, but he's not the same. He's not complaining about how he could have been with her, and-you know."  
"You'd be surprised. If he forgot her, he remembered her this after noon. Right now he's sleeping off his sorrow. And the way you're acting about it makes it seem like you want him to love you again."  
"He's sleeping? And, no, I don't need him loving me anymore." She mumbled, looking at his door.  
"Yeah. Now, why aren't you going out with Brad?"  
"He told me he was busy."  
"Okay. Well, I suggest you get something to do, because Amy and Sonic are going some where, and," Kevin got cut off by Derek walking out of the kitchen.  
"Has anyone seen Tails?!" He asked, and without an answer, he walked back into the kitchen.  
"And Tails is no where to be found."  
"And where did you say you were going?" Niki asked.  
"A date."  
"Oh yeah." She said hesitantly.  
"And, Rouge?" Kevin said, looking at her. She had somehow made her way onto his lap, as if it would give her an advantage of some sort.  
"Yes, Knuxie?"  
"One, get off me, and two, don't call me Knuxie."  
"Oh! Sorry!" She exclaimed, getting off and then walking into her apartment next door.  
"Obnoxious, yes, sexy----of course." He mumbled to himself as he got up from the couch and grabbed his wallet. Knowing women, Kevin brought a lot of extra money he had made. Even Princess Tikal, honest, passionate, and humble, used any man's money she could get her hands on when it came to going to dinner or shopping [of course!]. Kevin knew this because once he had to watch her highness when her father had to leave the island for a couple of weeks. And, yes, his money slipped through his fingers like melted butter. Tobitha was to be no different then any other female Kevin had dated [one of them being me! ;) ].  
Just as Kevin was about to walk out the door, the phone rang. He picked up, since Derek and Sam were both sleeping. Actually, Derek wasn't sleeping, but he was just too lazy to go get the phone.  
Kevin heard a small voice on the other end.  
"Hi, Kevin. This is Tyler."  
"Tails?! Where are you? Derek won't go out with Amy until he knows where you are, and so Amy is getting upset."  
"I know. I'm just working at my job a little longer. It's really fun, and there's nothing to do at the apartment, anyway."  
"Okay, whatever, I'll tell Sonic. I have to go, I have a date."  
"Okay, bye."  
"Bye." Kevin quickly told Derek where Tyler was, and left. He got into a red convertible that he was renting, and drove away.  
Kevin walked into the restaurant and looked around. It was a little too fancy for his liking, but the food must be good. Then, he saw Tobitha, sitting at a table. A table for two. A candle in the middle with a little rose. And, Tobitha, if the setting wasn't enough, she made everything light up. Her smile, how she just sat there in a baby-blue, long, halter-top dress. Kevin found himself just staring until she noticed him, and pointed to the chair across from her. He immediately walked over and sat down.  
"Hi." She said, suggestively. Seemed to Kevin that everything about her was suggestive [if ya know what I mean.].  
"Um, hi. What's up?" He asked, totally forgetting what kind of setting they were in. She smiled and told him all was well, and then she asked him the same. The two of them quickly got to know each other, and found out that even if they didn't have a lot of the same interests, they both had similarities in their personalities.  
"So," He started, after leaning back after eating all he could. "The cute-sy act you put on at the book sale. It WAS an act, wasn't it?"  
"Hell, yeah." Tobitha said. "Guys tend to like that kind of thing. But, I guess you're kind of different, aren't you?"  
"I don't know, it depends on who I'm hanging out with." Kevin looked at the now sarcastic, suggestive, AND witty Tobitha. She had sort of a glitter in her eyes. After staring quite a bit, Tobitha raised an eyebrow.  
"Take a picture and it will last longer." She said, not taking her eyes off his, either.  
"You're beautiful." Kevin commented, ignoring the sarcastic comment. Tobitha looked as if she was flattered, and as if she had been told by a thousand men at the same time.  
  
Later---  
  
Sam woke up. He looked around. It was pitch black, and obviously night. He felt different. Well, when you sleep with your clothes on, you feel different. But Sam felt extra warmth. As he propped himself in bed, he felt an arm come around his waste.  
"Wha?" He mumbled. He felt where the arm was coming from and recognized the face he felt. "Why?" He asked again to himself in surprise. He got up quickly and ran into the living room where Kevin was peacefully reading. "What time is it?!" Sam hissed.  
"Oh, so you found her." He said, looking at Sam.  
"I asked;"  
"Yeah, I know. It's 2 AM."  
"Now, what's Victoria doing in my bed?!" Sam hissed again.  
"I was coming home from my date. It was really late. Hey, that rhymes,"  
"Just tell me, Knux."  
"Anyway, she was standing at the door, and she was wondering;[flash back::]  
  
---"How's Sam? I need to see him. Is he doing okay?" She kept asking. I swear, she was like a fly. Saying the same things all over again. You know, like buzzing.  
"At eleven at night? Can't you see him tomorrow?" I asked, really wanting to get into the apartment.  
"See, he was acting weird today, and I couldn't stop thinking about him. So, I decided to come over, but the door was locked."  
"Well, of course the door was LOCKED, stupid." I tell ya, women today. They act like they don't know what a LOCK is.  
"Well, can I see him?" She whimpered.  
"He's been sleeping all day. I don't know what luck you'll get."  
"I don't care."  
"What, are you gonna sleep with him?" I was surprised at her reaction. All she did was shrug and say:  
"I guess. I really want to see him." I was extremely surprised that my sarcasm didn't scare her away. For some reason, I get the idea that she loves you a whole lot. I just stood there and stared at her for a bit, and then I let her in. As soon as she came in she ran to your room and opened the door. She hesitated before going in, but I nodded and sat on the couch and she walked in. ---- [end flash back]  
  
"Oh." Was all Sam said, looking back at the room he just ran out of. "I suppose," He croaked, his throat seemed to close up. "I suppose I love her, too."  
"Hm. Then why don't you go back in there?"  
"I'm a little shaken up."  
"Shadow? Shadow is shaken up?!"  
"Hey, shut up, I don't want Sonic to hear."  
"Hey, Shad I have a question."  
"What?"  
"What's she wearing? I mean, I knew she was wearing shorts and a spaghetti-strapped shirt, but what's she wearing NOW? Did she get carried away?"  
"Shut up!!" Sam exclaimed. "Victoria isn't like that. Not at all." Kevin didn't respond. He went back to reading his book, snickering as he did. Mean while, Sam went back to his room and stood in the doorway. He heard a faint laugh from the bed.  
"I'm sorry I surprised you like that." She whispered. "I was so worried about you. I needed to come." Sam didn't talk and he came onto the bed. He gently lay down on her and kissed her on the forehead.  
"I'm glad you decided to." He said. He got back under the covers and held her close.  
  
********************** 0.0 I did such a bad job on this chapter. It's pointless, isn't it? Well, actually, some of it is vital, but you wouldn't know that it. I guess you could call it an introduction-in-the-fourth-chapter chapter. Yes, the introduction-in-the-fourth-chapter chapter.  
I've been reading too much of this one Yu-Gi-Oh! Fic that has a lot of kissy-kissy in it, and I wanna write something like it. But of course, you saw my Unexpected Love fic, which gives romances a bad name since I suck at kissing scenes! I need pointers, because there WILL be more romance in further chapters!! Peace Out, and I promise the next chapter will be better! 


	5. Sonic Boom

CHAPTER FIVE! Yay! And thanks to all the reviewers who reviewed meh story! You guys make meh day so much better! THANKYOU THANKYOU! And I apologize for this chapter coming out so late. I've been on so many different sites, and discovering new things (such as Furcadia. Damn, that game is fun). To let you know a head of time, this chapter has IM SNs. I made them up as I was writing, so I'm not sure if they're real or not. Please don't IM them unless you know who they are, because I'm sure that person would be extremely angry at me!!! BUT, you CAN IM funisfun26, cuz that's my SN. Songs are from Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm moving this story up to PG-13 because of some major violence at the end of this chappie. :3 yesh, I know. (shiver) I have a little bit of bad language in this chappie, plus the violence. Just letting younger readers know, ok? Sorry. -.-;;;  
  
-ME!

* * *

[and we continue...]  
  
Tyler was working in the shop he had gotten a job in. It was an engineering/machinery type place, and he enjoyed his work. The shop was one of the few shops who hired children, which could be the reason why it was kind of hidden.  
"Boy, how'd you find this place?" The old man that was the owner asked him.  
"Your niece told me about it, sir."  
"Niece, boy? I don't got a niece, never the less children." The older man looked at Tyler a little strangely, and then went into the back room to have a smoke.  
"What?" Tyler whispered to himself, feeling very confused. "But, sir," He called, walking into the room. "Are you sure? Or, maybe do you have relatives that are my age?"  
"Yep, I'm sure, boy. Don't got any family or nothin'. The only thing that I got is an old dog that don't hear no more."  
  
Tyler looked perplexed and went back to his work. He wanted to push the idea that Taylor was up to something out of his mind. He had gotten so close to her lately.  
  
Mean while, Kevin had obviously forgotten the true reason he had gone out on that date with Tobitha in the first place. He was having a great time with her. She was just like him, and always had a come-back for all his insults. Of course, being impressed, he'd come up with something better.  
Although being human was all fine and dandy, Kevin missed the exciting life with action that he had had as an echidna. He guessed that Derek was feeling the same way, because being human was making him slower. Derek was still fast, but he missed his speed-of-sound ways of life.  
  
Finally the day came when everyone had instruments, and they had songs written out. The new band was working out everything, and was working in an old garage, since they had already gotten kicked out of the apartment building twice for being too noisy. 'Stupid rich people down stairs!' they all thought again and again.  
"So, we got all our songs written out, and I guess we can sign up for the concert." Derek said while tuning his guitar.  
"Sonic, maybe we should think this over again. Why are we doing the whole band thing?" Sam piped while he was replacing the strings on his bass.  
"A time passer?" Kevin answered as he looked up from his drum set.  
"FUN!" Amy answered.  
"Practice makes perfect!" Tyler exclaimed.  
"Money?" Niki reminded them.  
"But we've got money. Why did we just spend this much money on instruments?" Sam questioned. The garage went silent.  
"Well, it's not like we can do anything NOW." Derek scolded. "We should just carry out with the plan. Maybe if we become famous, that'll get Eggman's attention, and we can get him to change us back."  
"But when we become our normal selves, the people will wonder where we went."  
"He's got a point, Sonic." Kevin agreed.  
"We were in our private plane, and it crashed. Easy solution." Said Derek; his way of ending the conversation. Everyone shrugged it off, and then stared practicing.  
The next couple of days went by quickly, and before our friends knew it, they were about to get on stage to perform.  
It was about two hours before they went on stage, and everyone was getting nervous. They were all at the Galaxy Theatre as planned, and were back stage. Kevin was looking over his rhythms frantically, Derek was running in place, Sam was tuning his bass, Niki was looking at herself in the mirror making sure she looked perfect, Tyler was looking around backstage for something to fix, and Amy was on sugar high from eating too many pixie sticks after dinner. They had all told her not too, but did she listen? Noooooo..  
"Hey, hey, hey SONIC! Can I have another pixie stick?! Huh? Huh? Huh?!" The blonde was jumping up and down, with words spilling out of her mouth.  
"No, and again, just incase you come back, NOO!"  
"Ohh, you make me sad.. BUT I'm STILL HAPPY!!" Amy went to everyone in their band and asked for pixie sticks. The only one that would give her any was Tyler, who had been eating some himself. "Thank you, THANK you, thank YOU, THANK YOU!" She skipped around the room, and then tripped and fell asleep on the floor.  
  
Kevin, still looking over his beats and rhythms, thought he'd go online and talk on AIM or something. He signed on [do NOT try and IM these SNs, because I don't know if they're real or not.] and looked for a chat room to go into.  
He finally found one, and clicked on it [his screen name will be RadRedKnux22].  
  
RadRedKnux22: Hi, who's in here?  
  
OcarinaMaster64: me.  
  
CallMeBeepMe: I am.  
  
PikaPikachu: pika, pika pi.  
  
RadRedKnux22: well, it would help if I knew who u are!  
  
CallMeBeepMe: Kim Possible here.  
  
PikaPikachu: Pikachu!  
  
OcarinaMaster64: This is Link, the Hero of Time. And NO I did NOT make this screen name myself. Saria made it for me, and since I don't know how to make another, guess what? I can't HAVE another!  
  
RadRedKnux22: ooookk.. its not that hard, but alright..  
  
OcarinaMaster64: Mario was in here a second ago. There are a LOT more ppl in here, they just aren't talking. Look at the list.  
  
RadRedKnux22: who's "IWantToMarryJennyIt"?  
  
CallMeBeepMe: That's that Yami Yugi guy from Yu-Gi-Oh!. He's obsessed with his girlfriend. She must be kinda weird cuz her nickname is "Jenny It".  
  
IWantToMarryJennyIt: YA GOT A PROBLEM WITH IT, PHONE GIRL?!  
  
CallMeBeepMe: phone girl?  
  
IWantToMarryJennyIt: THAT'S IT!! I SOMMON THE DARK MAGICIAN IN ATTACK MODE!!!  
  
CallMeBeepMe: -- idiot..  
  
GoddessesGrantedMe72: LINK!!! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU??! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO MEET ME AN HOUR AGO AT THE GREAT FAIRY FOUNTAIN RESTAURAUNT!  
  
OcarinaMaster64: uuhh.. That would be Zelda... nice talking to u guys, gotta go!

OnlineHost: OcarinaMaster64 has signed off at 6:55 pm.

OnlineHost: GoddessesGrantedMe72 has signed off at 6:56 pm.  
  
RadRedKnux22: OK, this is the weirdest chat room I've ever been in. Even weirder than the ones I've been in with Amy Rose when she's on sugar high.  
  
DaBomb783: it cant be that weird. Cuz that's pretty weird.  
  
RadRedKnux22: who're you?  
  
Dabomb783: Joey Wheeler. Havent you ever heard of me b4?  
  
RadRedKnux22: uuhh, no?  
  
DaBomb783: COME ON, KNUX! I date your X-Girlfriend!  
  
RadRedKnux22: oh yeah, now I remember. I don't date humans anymore, just so you know.  
  
DaBomb783: sarcastic don't worry, Alex misses you, too.  
  
RadRedKnux22: SHUT UP!!  
  
PikaPikachu: pika, Pikachu, chu pi.  
  
DaBomb783: huh?  
  
RadRedKnux22: he's a Pokemon, just ignore him.  
  
DaBomb783: right.  
  
OnlineHost: IWantToMarryJennyIt has signed off at 7:05.  
  
RadRedKnux22: OMG!! Its already 7:00?!  
  
DaBomb783: no, seven 'o FIVE, not just SEVEN.  
  
RadRedKnux22: w/e, Wheeler.  
  
Death8976: dead Lois!  
  
RedRadKnux22: What the?  
  
Death8976: DEAD LOIS!  
  
DaBomb783: who the heck are you?!  
  
Death8976: someone who wants to kill Lois.  
  
CallMeBeepMe: Oh, I know who that is. That's Stewie from Family Guy.  
  
Death8976: got that right. Now, who wants to help me kill Lois? OnlineHost: Death8976 was zapped out at 7:10 by DaBomb783.  
  
CallMeBeepMe: thanx.  
  
DaBomb783: no prob.  
  
RadRedKnux22: --' I gotta leave soon. We're having a concert at the Galaxy Theatre.  
  
CallMeBeepMe: Who?  
  
RadRedKnux22: the band I'm in.  
  
DaBomb783: coooool.  
  
CallMeBeepMe: yeah. If you get famous, I'll buy your CD.  
  
DaBomb783: I'm bored.  
  
DaBomb783: really, really bored.  
  
PikaPikachu: pika pika pi. Chu, pika pi Pikachu.  
  
KenshinBlade34: what did I miss?  
  
PikaPikachu: PIKA! Pika pi! Pikachu, pi pika. Chu, chu!  
  
KenshinBlade34: --' obviously nothing.  
  
FunIsFun26: that u didn't! XD  
  
KenshinBlade34: HEY! I LIKE talking that way!  
  
FunIsFun26: that u do! XD  
  
RadRedKnux22: Alex, shut up.  
  
DaBomb783: don't u DARE tell my gf to shut up!  
  
RadRedKnux22: Alex, you're not supposed to be in your own fic.  
  
DaBomb783: she can if she wants.  
  
KenshinBlade34: yeah, she can if she wants.  
  
FunIsFun26: its ok, I was just checkin in on u guys.  
  
CallMeBeepMe: ...  
  
FunIsFun26: heh, eh-heh, and gals...  
  
RadRedKnux22: alright, if Alex is gonna be here, I'm leaving  
  
FunIsFun26: -.-  
  
Dabomb783: -.-  
  
CallMeBeepMe: -.-  
  
KenshinBlade34: -.-  
  
PikaPikachu: PIKA, PIKACHU!  
  
RadRedKnux22: SHUT UP, POKEMON!  
  
PikaPikachu: pii...  
  
CallMeBeepMe: uh, Knux, I wouldn't have done that if I were u...  
  
DaBomb783: EVERYONE, OBANDON CHAT ROOM!!!  
  
RadRedKnux34: huh? Why?  
  
OnlineHost: KenshinBlade34 signed off at 7:20 pm.

OnlineHost: CallMeBeepMe signed off at 7:20 pm.

OnlineHost: DaBomb783 signed off at 7:21 pm.

OnlineHost: FunIsFun26 signed off at 7:21 pm.

OnlineHost: a lot of other people signed off, too, but just because I'm a robot, do you REALLY think I'm going to write them all?!  
  
RadRedKnux22: uhhh..  
  
PikaPikachu: PII—KAA—CHUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Kevin got a huge shock from his computer and found his computer shut down. "oww." He said as he tried to turn it back on. That's when Tyler came up from the basement, also fried like the wires.  
"I was working on the electricity wiring. Oww.."  
"Oops." Kevin said. "Do you think you can fix the wires?"  
"Uh, yeah." Tyler answered, crawling under the desk. After about 10 minutes, the little boy had finished working on the wires. The computer came on automatically, and surprisingly enough so did the AIM buddy list. That's when Kevin noticed that Tikal's SN was logged in. His eyes went wide. Poor Tyler, who was struggling to get up from under the desk, (still fried) got pushed over when Kevin sat down in his chair.  
"Thanks for helping me up." Tyler said sarcastically as he made his way down stairs again.  
Kevin was nervous to talk to his Princess. What had she been up to? Had she looked for them? How was the Master Emerald? All these questions raced through his mind. He finally clicked on the name, and the little screen popped up.

....  
  
RadRedKnux22: Princess Tikal?  
  
AngelPrincess12: GUARDIAN!!! KNUCKLES!!! WHERE ARE YOU?!?!  
  
RadRedKnux22: I'm in America. What happened to you? Why did you leave? How's the Master Emerald?  
  
AngelPrincess12: In America?! How did you get there?! Knuckles, I've been so worried! Ever since those scary humans came out of that portal I thought maybe they killed you! Come back, please, Knuckles!

....  
'So THAT'S why she ran. The whole time she thought it was really humans and not us.' Kevin thought as he thought of what to write. He didn't want to tell her right now about the whole transformation and such, but he didn't want to be unfaithful, either.  
....

RadRedKnux22: Princess, please just calm down; everyone's alright.  
  
AngelPrincess12: But I'M not!  
  
RadRedKnux22: What happened?!  
  
AngelPrincess12: I want to tell you, but...  
  
RadRenKnux22: Princess, calm down and tell me. There's nothing to worry about.  
  
AngelPrincess12: I-

....  
  
That's when the screen went blank. "DAMN FRIED WIRES!!" Kevin shouted at the computer as he slammed his fists against the sides of the key board. The whole desk shook, and he swore he heard a crack in the wood. Being human was making him furious. He needed to go back to Angel Island. He needed it as if an addiction and it was making him sweat. He missed his life as an echidna. He couldn't stand the city air any more, either. The only connection to his island was broken, and he didn't get to see what Tikal needed to tell him. He held in the river that felt like flowing from his eyes, and swallowed. He had to suck it up for the next hour and a half, for he'd be on stage with his friends; playing.  
  
The next 30 minutes went by quickly, and Derek felt himself perspire. They were about to get on stage. Everything was ready, and he was sure nothing was going to go wrong, but he still had that feeling that he was forgetting something.  
Sam was happy and nervous at the same time. He knew that Victoria would be in the audience rooting him on, same as all the group's new friends. Following Derek, everyone went up on stage behind the curtain, and started doing last minute set-ups.  
Amy was standing at her "computer" as everyone called it. It was like a computer without the screen. It made all the extra sounds and such. No one had ever seen anything like it, but they figured it was one of a kind because some weirdo in a "behind-the-shops" shop had sold it to them. Question marks went up in their heads, but the machinery worked, and that's all that mattered.  
  
They all exchanged looks, as the curtain started to rise. The feeling of the spot light on them caused a smile, and a pound in their chests [OMG, I LOVE the spot light feeling!]. They were more confident then ever---or at least Derek was.  
  
Derek's wild bangs waved in his face as he started the signal to start the first song. (Tyler, Amy, and Niki went backstage because they weren't needed in this song :( )  
  
There was a bit of a guitar part at the beginning, but then Derek started to sing, with Sam harmonizing every once in a while:  
  
Can you feel life Moving through your mind? Oooooh, looks like it came back more – yeah yeah yeah!  
  
Can you feel time Slipping down your spine? Oooooh, you try and try to ignore!  
  
But you can hardly swallow Your fears and pain, And you can't help but follow, And puts you right back where you came!  
  
_[repeat_]-Live and learn!- Hangin' on the edge of tomorrow! -Live and learn!- From the works of yesterday! -Live and learn!- If you beg or if borrow! -Live and learn!- You may never find your way!  
  
Can you feel life Tangle you up inside? Yeah, now you're face down on the floor!  
  
But you can't save your sorrow You've paid in trade. And you can't help but follow And puts you right back where you came.  
  
[_Repeat_] [so what if I'm a lazy butt and don't feel like copying it! :S]  
  
[guitar solo]  
  
There's a face searching far, so far and wide; There's a place where you dreamed you'd never find' Hold on to 'what if'---- Hold on to 'what if'!!  
  
[_Repeat _again]  
  
[_Repeat_ again]  
  
When they're new band finished that song, they were all sweating, but from the audience you couldn't tell. The audience was roaring with applause. Everyone liked the song, and wanted to hear more. Tyler, Amy, and Niki came from back stage and got ready.  
"That song was called 'Live and Learn'!" Derek said into the microphone. The audience applauded even more at the sound of the lead's voice. They changed they're transformation quickly, with Niki up front. She flipped her hair and started singing a song called Fly in the Freedom. Some times in the background, Kevin sang.  
  
In about an hour they had sung all their songs. Tyler even sang one, and put the mothers in the audience in tears. Derek nudged Tyler before they all took their bow and smiled.  
"Yeah! We did GREAT!" Derek exclaimed upon coming back stage. Niki and Amy collapsed on a back stage couch [auctioning off, it is a SPECIAL BACK STAGE couch! Starting at 2 cents, thank you! Back to the story!], and the others watched as another band made their entrance.  
"SAM, YOU DID GREAT!!!" Victoria screamed, running past guards and through the back stage door. She threw her arms around him, almost knocking him over.  
"Heh, thank you."  
"Your song was really cool. You were all alone up there, huh?"  
"Well...Amy was backstage and she did most of the instrumentals..."  
"My fingers HURT!!!!!!!!!" Amy moaned, putting her head on Niki's shoulder.  
"Get the hell off me!" Niki said, pushing Amy away. Amy pouted and put her head on the arm rest.  
"Well, you still did great." Victoria smiled.

* * *

"Guys, I'm going to dinner with Vicky, ok?" Sam announced when they all got home. They were all hanging out in the 'boy' apartment, so everyone knew.  
"Yeah, whatever, take your time..." Kevin grumbled, engrossed in a book.  
"Have FUN!" Amy squeaked. Derek gave her a look of disgust as he got a card deck out. "What?! Are people not allowed to have fun any more or something??" She asked stupidly. Tyler giggled and closed his eyes as he lay on the couch.  
Sam shook his head. "Sometimes I worry about you, Amy."  
"Really?! How sweet of you! But why? I'm perfectly ok!"  
"STUPID, that was an INSULT!" Derek exclaimed.  
"Oh. Well..."  
"I'll see you guys later." Sam said, finally leaving and closing the door. Niki snickered to herself as she took her hand of cards and started playing a game of BS with Derek and Amy.  
  
"Well, you finally got here." Victoria laughed as Sam pulled up to the place where they were meeting.  
"Yeah...uhh, we..."  
"Don't worry, you don't have to explain anything." She kissed him on the cheek as they walked in to the bar. When they sat down, Victoria sighed.  
"I'm not that hungry, how about just a drink?"  
"Alright. It's on me, of course." Sam said.  
"No, I want to pay!!" She said, smiling.  
"No way, I just got a ton of money from the concert, which was kinda bizarre, actually, but STILL. I want to pay."  
"Well, I don't have a good enough reason to go against that, so you throw your money away on me!" She said, leaning back with a smirk across her face.  
"I'm not throwing it away if its on you..." He said. They both smiled and there was a silence.  
"Sam..."  
"Yeah?"  
"I really need to tell you something..." Victoria mumbled.

* * *

"Lookit, Sonic, we're on the news!!!!" Amy screamed, waking everyone up except for Tyler. It was the middle of the night, and Sam hadn't come home yet. Everyone had fallen asleep – Kevin at his book, Tyler long ago, Derek on his hand, and Niki was leaning back. Amy thought she would stay up and wait for Sam so she turned on the TV, and BOOM, there they were, at the Galaxy Theater up on stage.  
"WHAT THE HELL AMY, I'M SLEEPING HERE!!" Derek screamed, a little distressed.  
"But we're on TV!"  
"...did I seriously go up on stage with my hair looking like that?! But I could have sworn it was perfect before we got up!!!" Niki gasped.  
"Calm down, there's no way you can fix it now. I bet half the guys were drooling anyway.." Kevin mumbled, shaking him self awake.  
"listen, listen!" Amy hushed, her eyes glued to the TV.  
"Sonic Boom, the latest and coolest band, made their first appearance at the Galaxy Theater just today. Fans are demanding CDs, videos, autographs and performances which the band doesn't have yet. Many are saying that if Sonic Boom were to just record on a simple tape recorder it would be fought over by millions of fans." The reporter said. "including me, of course!! I LOVE YOU SONIC BOOM!" "ok, take her off, we need a new under-control reporter..." "NUUUU, WAIT!! I'M NOT DONE!!"  
"Whooaaa..." They all gasped.  
"I wonder how many times they played that thing." Kevin thought aloud.  
"It's been on since 9." Tyler mumbled, opening his eyes.  
"How would you know, you've been asleep since we got here!" Niki said.  
"Well, its been on the radio." Tyler said, pulling a tiny phone out of his ear. "I've been listening this whole time."  
"Freak..." Niki mumbled.  
"Hey, has Sam gotten back??" Derek said, wondering if maybe he had seen it yet.  
"Nope. He's still with his new girlfriend." Amy said, flipping through channels.  
"Great. He's gonna come back dead drunk. He's probably lying on the side walk some where..." Niki mumbled.  
"By the way, how in the world did he get an ID saying he was old enough to drink?" Derek asked after a couple minutes of silence.  
"Dun ask me, I never got one..." Niki answered.

* * *

"YOU LITTLE BITCH!!" Sam yelled, standing on the bar with his gun in his hands. People in the bar were against the wall, not wanting to move or get noticed by this drunk mad man.  
"Please, sir," The bartender pleaded. "Please sit down, calm yourself, and we'll get you a ride home." His voice was wiggly.  
"Stay OUT OF THIS! This is HER and ME!" Sam yelled, staring at him with angry red eyes.  
"SAM, STOP!!" Victoria screamed. She was the most frightened of all, for the gun was pointed at her.  
"You little traitor, why even call me Sam?! You KNOW my frikken real name!" He shouted.  
"Sam, calm DOWN, you're DRUNK!"  
"CALL ME BY MY REAL NAME!" He shouted, getting the gun closer to her.  
"SAM!!! J-JUST STOP this madness!!" She cried, her face covered in tears.  
"MY REAL FRIKKEN NAME!!!" He repeated angrily.  
"...Sh-sh-SHADOW!!" She cried, stuttering. "Common, let me just take you home and we can talk this over in the morning!!!!" More tears came flowing from her eyes. "No way, I'm not letting you go. You're DONE; here and NOW!" He said, getting the gun ready to shoot.  
"NOOO, Shadow!!! I told you all of it because I actually—," Before she could finish, Sam fired the gun twice, the bullets sinking deep into her chest.  
"...I...I..." She coughed, her eyes starting to close.  
"GOT SOMETHIN' TO SAY?!" He yelled in her face, not realizing what he had done yet. She gasped in as much air as she could, the last inhale she would ever take, and continued.  
"I...a-actually...loved you..."  
  
[to be continued]

* * *

Wow, some drama. I'm happy I finally got that part finished. Now...what did Victoria tell him? Can you guess? Woohoo!! I've been planning that ending for Victoria since I had the idea for the story. ;; kinda weird, huh? Sorry to all the hardcore Shadow fans, but I needed something to go extremely wrong, and Shadow's name came out of the hat!!! ((jk)) Please read and review! Thanks -Me 


End file.
